BOOK COMING SOON
Be the first to get Jay's new book "STANDDOWN"
We at Darken Ship Solutions, believe every career should be a calling—deeply fulfilling, powerfully connected, and rich with purpose.
We believe in fostering a culture of clear communication, mutual respect, and shared goals—where people feel valued, supported, and connected to meaningful work that drives both individual growth and organizational success.
Achieve this through the 9-step framework outlined in our book called Operation: STANDDOWN, a proven process designed to create workplaces that embody these core attributes.
STANDDOWN: How Elite Teams Reset, Regain Clarity, and Execute with Precision
When high-performing teams drift, the signs aren’t always dramatic—but the damage is. A slow erosion of standards. Misalignment between leaders and frontline teams. Confusion over what matters most. Left unchecked, it leads to failure—whether on the battlefield or the boardroom floor.
After 17 years in Naval Special Warfare, Senior Chief Jay Richards developed a tool trusted by leaders in the most unforgiving environments: the Standdown. Not just a pause. Definitely not a retreat. A deliberate reset to advance.
Now, he’s bringing this operational framework to the civilian world.
From warships and special operation craft to manufacturing floors, Jay has quietly mentored executives, directors, and teams through live-fire leadership resets—transforming broken systems, rebuilding trust, and restoring clarity of purpose. Standdown distills that approach into a powerful 9-step process any leader can use to halt drift, identify the real problem, and mobilize their team with renewed alignment and precision.
Packed with gripping frontline stories and practical tools, this book is more than a leadership manual. It’s a field guide for when everything is on the line.
About Jay C. Richards
Founder, Darken Ship Solutions Inc.
Creator of the Standdown Framework for Corporate Reset and Leadership Clarity
Jay Richards is the founder of Darken Ship Solutions Inc. and the creator of STANDDOWN, a leadership framework rooted in the principles of discipline, accountability, and operational clarity. With over two decades of experience in high-stakes environments—spanning Naval Special Warfare, intelligence operations, and executive protection—Jay developed the Standdown concept as a tool for corporate leaders to pause, realign, and move forward with purpose and precision when it matters most.
A retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief, Jay spent 17 of his 20 years in Naval Special Warfare as a SWCC (Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman), leading elite teams on complex global missions in maritime environments. His role required precision, adaptability, and command under pressure—skills that laid the foundation for his leadership philosophy.
After leaving active duty, Jay transitioned into a CIA Security Contractor role, serving in high-threat environments across the Middle East where protecting assets, reading people, and making split-second decisions were daily requirements.
He later served at the United States Special Operations Command Headquarters (USSOCOM), where he led the global collaboration of special operations efforts among 27 partnered nations allied to the United States, managed high-level briefings, and served as the subject matter expert on Naval Special Warfare.
Today, Jay works with an executive protection team, overseeing operations that require discretion, situational awareness, and deep trust. In between assignments, he returned to his entrepreneurial roots—building and eventually selling a successful service business—further refining his skills in team leadership and operational clarity under pressure.
These cumulative experiences led Jay to develop STANDDOWN: a structured leadership reset modeled after the military practice of pausing operations to address breakdowns, reinforce values, and realign around mission-critical priorities. The Standdown Framework is designed for leaders navigating moments of transition, pressure, or change—and needing a path back to clarity with precision.
Jay holds an active Top Secret/SCI clearance, is a graduate of the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy at the Naval War College, and maintains a 100 Ton U.S. Coast Guard Master Mariner license. From combat craft to corporate boardrooms, Jay brings the same mindset to every setting: lead from values, act with clarity, and always be ready to reset when it counts.